Today many people use the Internet to create their network of friends. But, are netfriends real friends? Do they help us to break our social isolation?

Well, we might not have an answer, but at least we can give a thought. In order to help you create your own opinion watch the two videos below. The first is a song by James Taylor about what a friend is. The second is a short animation about social networks and being isolated.

A song by James Taylor: You’ve got a friend

After listening to the song try to complete the lyrics:

When you’re ……………………. and troubled and you need some loving care
and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest ……………………..

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or ……………………., all you have to do is call and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah,
you’ve got a friend.

If the sky ……………………. you should grow dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow,
keep your head ……………………. and call my name out loud.
Soon I will be ……………………. upon your door.
You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or ……………………., all you have to do is call and I’ll be there.

Tell me, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend? People can be so ……………………..
They’ll hurt you and ……………………. you. Well, they’ll take your soul if you let them,
, but don’t you let them.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or ……………………., all you have to do is call, and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah,
you’ve got a friend. You’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend? Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend?
Oh, yeah, yeah, you’ve got a friend.

Now complete the sentence:

For me a friend is ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A clip: The Innovation of Loneliness

Watch the video and say whether the following statements are True or False:

a) Monkeys can live in groups of any size.

b) Humans respond to group size similarly to monkeys.

c) The feeling of loneliness is unbearable for humans.

d) We build our identity on our job, money and friends.

e) The concept of friendship has not changed in the last decades.

f) The features of conversation are real time and uncontrolled content.

g) We use technology as a substitute for friends.

h) Even for users of social media their identity is based on what they are.

These Christmas you have read a pair of mystery stories by famous writers. After reading them you should write a short synopsis of them.

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What is a synopsis?

1) It’s a narrative summary of your story (or book) –with feeling.

2) It’s written in present tense.

3) It’s written in third person.

4) It’s written in the same style of writing your story is written in. If your story is “chatty,” then your synopsis is, too. If your story is serious, literary, filled with dialect, or any other style, so must your synopsis be.

5) The synopsis introduces your main characters and their main conflicts, all woven together in the narrative. (It does not list your characters.)

6) Weaving, by the way, is important. One paragraph should flow logically to the next. If you are switching ideas, you need to make sure you build in a transition to connect your paragraphs.

7) You do not have to include every character or every scene, plot point, or subplot in your synopsis. But your synopsis should give a clear idea as to what your book is about, what characters we will care about (or dislike), what is at stake for your heroes, what they stand to lose, and how it all turns out.

8) You must put the conclusion to your novel in your synopsis.

Steps to Write a Synopsis (by Vivian Beck)

Step 1: Start With A Hook.

Step 2: Introduction of Characters. Introduce the main characters in your story. Tell their MOTIVATION, CONFLICT, and GOALS. Stay away from detailed physical descriptions unless this information is pertinent to your story.

Step 3: Construct the Body of Your Synopsis. Write the high points of your story in chronological order. Don’t give every little detail. Remember, each scene should include, ACTION, REACTION, and a DECISION.

Step 4: Use Three or Four Paragraphs to Write the CRISIS and RESOLUTION of Your Story.Keep this simple, but make sure you show your main characters’ reactions. Your synopsis must include the resolution to your story.

Step 5: Rewrite your synopsis until each sentence is polished to the point of perfection.Use strong adjectives and verbs, and always write in the present tense.

If you still need help you can watch these videos:

Additional work:

1) Make a list of 20 new words you have found in the story and complete a grid including: a) word type (noun, verb, preposition, …); b) a synonym; c) an opposite and d) the quote from the text in which the word appears.

We have watched and enjoyed the film The Stepford Wives. This is a comedy based on the satirical novel of the same name by writer Ira Levin published in 1972.

Film Reviews

You are going to write a film review of the film, so let’s start by looking at what a film review is and what it is not:

A review is a piece of writing that gives information about something and may include opinions of the quality of that thing.

Based on reviews they have read, people often make decisions about where to go or what to do. There are many kinds of reviews that we read (and sometimes have to write) in daily life.

A film review is not a detailed explanation of everything that took place in the film.

The real purpose of writing a film review is to show why you liked or disliked a particular film, the film’s place among cinema, how the actors played their roles, and why someone should watch it.

Reviews can be factual (giving facts and information about a topic), or may express opinions of the writer about the topic. Most reviews are a combination of facts and opinions. The writer uses facts to support his or her opinions.